Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-02-18


The Senate subcommittee on the District appro
pnation bill has II correctly reported conceived
plan. unique II not statesTnanlke Of providing fol
the needs OF the District schools. On the plea OF
furnishing sufficient school accommodations for
low grade pupils It is proposed to abolish the high
schools and 70 cut down the salaries OF the present
teachers. The system Is to be made harmonious,
not by strengthening the weak places but by
WEAKENING those which are strong. Uniformity is
TO be secured by levelling not by filling. The Dis
trict is somewhat accustomed TO ask for bread and
receive stone, but for size, hardness and stun
ming capacity this boulder now dashed In its face
ence Of hard knocks
Enthusiastically the lowest grades OF our schools
are poorly accommodated and need more and bet
ter school rooms Some twelve thousand children
In the lowest grades lose half OF each
tion because OF inadequate school room accommo-
dations, and many OF the rooms provided are dark,
damp and incapable OF proper heating and ven-
ulation. II is also true that the vital part OF
the public school system is the elementary in
struction Of the lower grades, that high schools
are defensible only 50 far as they are built
upon the solid foundation of well sustained
lover grades and that they should never be
fostered az the expense OF such grades. These
propositions have been maintained by THE STAR
time and time again. II may even be con-
coded that there is general impression among
the people OF the District that the present school
authorities are inclined 70 bestow more attention,
labor and appropriations upon the development OF
the upper grades than in meeting the needs of the
lower grades, as is indicated by their specific
requests for large sums for high school
purposes In contrast with modest de-
mands for the suffering lower grades. But
how can these facts justify In the least the sub
committees extraordinary plan? To round out its
excellent school system the District asks its legs
lature TO authorize additional school buildings for
Its lower grades The expense Is TO be met by the
property-owners and taxpayers OF the District the
u. 8. government paying only its proportionate
share as such property owner. VIII our legisla-
ture or any OF our legislators say to us: You shall
not have your perfected school system even
though you pay the expenses yourselves
but we viii kill your system, abolish
your high school, deny you teachers Of
experience and ability by cutting down salaries
TO the starvation point, and will thus furnish the
low-grade accommodations which you need?-
Congress should carefully to It that the pres
ent appropriations for District school buildings 60
In the main, to improve the condition of the lower
grades, and not TO the high schools, where the
need IL not so urgent With this precaution there
should be no hesitation In providing literally for
additional school-rOOm accommodations There
Is no reason TO tear down what has been erected
giving the additional buildings to the District OUT
right the gratuity would be a contemplate one
when the vast donations OF land to the states for
school purposes are considered. But no CORE
spending national gift TO the District Is dreamed
OF, and the least that Congress can do, acting az
the local legislature OF the District In disbursng
the taxes collected for school purposes is to au-
thOrixe the expenditure OF the money In the man
ner desired by the Taxpayer
Congress- should nOf no and far,hflaS- mn
mfsled by the fact that our school system fur
nishes citizens cause OF complaint. The people Of
the District cannot remedy things for themselves
and 70 complain OF evils and defects is all that Is
left them But they1 wish the school system re-
formed and strengthened not destroyed or de-
graded It Is one Of Holiness witty sayings that
because he enjoys dip at Nahant it is no sign
thai he wants 70 be picked In brine. Washington
wants badly more low grade schools, but IL does
NOT desire 70 destroy the higher grades or re-
dnce teachers wages to ..Do-the-Boys halp stan
dard.